


All That Glitters Is Not Gold

by illuminyati



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Gold & Silver & Crystal | Pokemon Gold Silver Crystal Versions
Genre: Gay, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2018-08-11 13:59:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7895308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/illuminyati/pseuds/illuminyati
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first chapter of a long series. As a general series summary, Gold and Silver both get a job at the Goldenrod Department Store, and eventually develop a partnership, at best. That develops further, an the two must overcome obstacles life throws at them in order to keep themselves intact, as well as maintain a healthy bond.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Start

**Author's Note:**

> TO NOTE: Further chapters will include triggering things such as cutting, an eating disorder, implied kidnapping/the like, & mature language. None in the first chapter, but things present themselves more as the series goes on.

_Tick, tick, tick._ It had been years since Gold found it hard to sleep, and he hadn't expected tonight to be the night that marks the start of his insomnia. Amber eyes flicker warily to the clock sat above his television, which flashes a rainbow of artificial colors onto his face. He listens to the tick of the clock hand for a moment, spacing as it seems to blend with the rhythm of the television noise. After tugging himself back to reality, he focuses on the placing of the clock hands in the dim light, and reads it to be 3:38 am. Quite early. Gold lets out a loud grumble and slowly rises from his bed, a hand gravitating to his forehead to slick his hair back. He sits atop his bed for a few minutes after shutting off his television, his eyes focused intently on the ground, observing every nick in the wood. With about four minutes of empty thoughts, he somehow comes to the conclusion that he should go outside. Silently, the boy slips off his bed and lands his feet on the ground with a soft _clack_ , with the noise following him as he makes his way out of his room. The entire house seemed frozen in time, save for its only inhabitant. However, the outside already seemed to be lively, as it always was.

  
Goldenrod was a loud city, filled to the brim day and night with excitement and people. It was a bit odd for Gold to get used to, really. He enjoyed the feeling of isolation that New Bark Town gave him. But, having lived in this city for about a year now, he's started to grow accustomed to the bustle of it all. Plus, he has a good handful of friends in the city. For starters, Whitney, the city's Gym Leader, is a good friend of his. The two often compete in the Pokeathalon together, and is Gold's main source of fun. He's also good friends with Bill, who helped build the PC boxes in all the Pokemon Centers scattered throughout each region. Bill is a friend he can go to more when he has things plaguing his mind, as Bill seems to be pretty good with words. However, his closest friend, Crystal, doesn't live in the city. She moved to Kanto to help Professor Oak, but she comes to visit quite often, especially because there's a magnet train that runs from Goldenrod City to Saffron and back. There's also Red, but he's busy with something until at least next week. Otherwise, he stays with Gold much of the time; or rather, the other way around.

  
Gold thought for a good moment as he left his house, about where he would go. Both Whitney and Bill would be sleeping, and if not, they wouldn't want to see him this early anyways. I mean, _he_ doesn't even want to see himself this early, which is why he avoided checking himself in the mirror before departing. He'll be fine - it's not like he has a date or anything. However, he _does_ have a new job starting today. Gold had been interviewed about a week ago after applying to the Goldenrod Department Store, and just so happened to get the job. They said they "liked his attitude", and that he would be a good addition to the already friendly atmosphere of the store. Gold lets out a snort. Just thinking about that - it's funny. He doesn't really think of himself as a happy guy, but that's just because he's the only one who knows he's faking his energetic act. Most of the time, anyways.

  
A few hours had passed, and all that had really been accomplished was Gold stumbling upon a few cool pebbles on the ground that he'd shoved into his pocket. The sun was starting to rise now, so he figured he would head back to his house and properly get ready for his new job.  
He walked home, taking his time as he still has about an hour before work starts, and immediately begins getting ready. He takes a quick shower to wash up, slips on the same clothes he wears every day, as the worker who had interviewed him said it was alright to wear it. They didn't have much of a uniform, unless you wanted to wear the one they provide, which came as a sort of shock to the boy. It doesn't _seem_ like it would be a laid back place, but they don't appear to have a strict set of rules, or anything really. While visiting, he observed that they didn't even seem to have cameras! It astounds him how much the store trusts people, but then again, the city has heavy crime laws that deter criminals from doing anything at all - most of the time, at least. As Gold thinks to himself, he blow-dries his hair, observing his features in the mirror. He doesn't look tired, thank Arceus. In fact, you couldn't tell at all that he hadn't slept. He practiced a few lines of greeting to himself, played out a few scenes of interacting with fellow employees and customers, as well as the boss, and by that time, it was 20 minutes until he needed to be at work. With a bright grin on his face, Gold walks proudly out of his home, not bothering to take his Pokemon, as he doubts they would be needed for a job like this.

  
He arrives to the Goldenrod Department store with 10 minutes to spare. A worker at the counter notices him at the door, and after recognizing he's not a customer, lets him in. She has her cocoa hair cut to a choppy bob, and is wearing a plain white short-sleeved shirt, with a rose gold necklace and a knee-high black skirt.  
"Welcome!" The woman chimes, "You're our second new employee, so we will do your job introduction along with his." She walks along to a backroom labelled in bold letters, **EMPLOYEES ONLY** , and holds the door open for Gold. He steps in, observing the ceiling first, and then dropping his gaze to meet it with who he assumes to be the other new employee. He gives a bright smile, but is brushed off. Scowling, Gold takes a seat across from the other and observes him. He's got shoulder-length deep red hair, and pale skin. His cheeks are littered with freckles, but they're not too noticeable. He's wearing a long sleeved, dark navy blue shirt, with a stand-up collar, and a part in the center where the shirt ends. It has a red pocket on the right side of the boy's chest, and a red streak from the center of the collar to the split at the end of the shirt, where it parts and follows the rest of the length around the bottom of the clothing. He's also wearing a light grey belt, just barely visible between the split at the end of the shirt, and blue marguerite pants. He's got a cold expression on his face, and honestly, Gold starts to wonder why _this guy_ was accepted. Maybe he's just having a bad day. Whatever the case, the boy is forced to stray his mind from the matter when the worker showing the two around begins speaking again.

  
"First, let's start with introducing ourselves!" She motions to her name tag and gives a smile to the two boys. "I'm Pauline! I've been working here at the Goldenrod Department Store for four years, and am happy to welcome you two to our family." She then looks to Gold with expecting eyes, and he quickly clears his throat and speaks up.

  
"Name's Gold! I was born in New Bark Town, but moved here a year ago for work. Glad I've finally found it!" The boy finishes his introduction with a bright grin and a rub of this tip of his nose. Pauline nods a bit, then turns to the other boy. He's got his elbow propped up on the table, and his head resting on his palm. Dark grey orbs dart up to meet Pauline's hazel, and with a quiet sigh, he states;

  
"I'm Silver. From Kanto, moved somewhere nearby for work." He keeps eye contact with Pauline whilst speaking, but immediately drops it again once finished. Gold side-eyes him shiftily and squints. Seems like this dude's just putting on a face, if you ask him. Pauline lets out a soft, almost awkward sounding laugh.

  
"Well, Gold, Silver, pleasure to have you! You two will be working on the fifth floor today, the TM Corner. You will be the only workers on the floor, so we trust you to do well!" She pauses for a moment to take a breath, then goes on, "We would also like to inform you that we allow you to use your Pokemon to help stock items and greet customers! Be sure that they are friendly, as if they hurt any customers, you will be automatically fired and banned from the store." Gold and Silver both nod in understanding, and get up. Before exiting the room, Pauline turns to say one more thing.

  
"We also have a policy on any Pokemon who have harmful things on them, such as a Pokemon with fire visible on its body, and we do not allow dark types, as they are seen badly in the eyes of the public. Good luck!"

  
Gold hears a sharp inhale from Silver's direction, before the ginger walks out of the room and heads for the elevator. Eager to talk to this mysterious boy, Gold races after him and manages to squeeze in the elevator before the door closes. There's a tension in the air as the two stand in complete quiet, so the shorter of them decides to break the silence.

  
"Silver, right?" Gold asks, his amber eyes focused on the male. Under the feeling of being watched, the ginger shivers, and places his right hand on his left arm. He merely nods, not daring to look at his co-worker. Though a little upset he isn't seeming to acknowledge him much, the black-haired boy simply adjusts his hat and continues.

  
"You don't seem like ya' like to talk much... Ya' got somethin' ta' hide?" As he begins to lean over and examine the taller male, the elevator door opens, and the two make their way out and to their designated counters.

  
Suddenly remembering the two can use their Pokemon to aid them in their work, Gold reaches for his belt, but can't seem to locate any Pokeballs. " _Shit_..." He grumbles quietly to himself, a bit panicked. He figured he wouldn't need his Pokemon, and left them all at home. It's too late to run back now, so he'll just remind himself for tomorrow... Aibo would be a good help for restocking, as his two tails can reach quite a ways.

  
The quiet shifting of keys being shuffled in a pocket startles Gold, and draws his attention to the only other person present in the room. After digging for a moment, Silver pulls out a Pokeball. He lifts it up to his face and peers inside of it, examining the creature in the capsule before sending it out. After a brief flash of white light, a silhouette forms, and eventually, a small Sneasel materializes. The animal looks up at Silver with a cat-like grin, and hops up on the counter, sitting to allow its owner to pet it. Gold watches the two for a moment as they seem to be happy in one another's presence, while the Pokemon's trainer scratches behind its long, red, feathery ear, and it purrs in happiness. Realizing they're being observed, both stop, and the Sneasel leaps to the ground to wander off. Gold stares at it until it disappears behind a shelf, and then looks back to his co-worker with a frown.

  
"Silv, that thing violates _two_ rules we were given. No dark types, and no physical hazards on the Pokemon." He points to the Sneasel, poking out from behind where it had previously vanished. Silver glares at the male, then directs his attention to the cash register.

  
"Don't give me pet names." He hisses, letting out a long exhale before continuing on. "I'm not "violating" any rules. Sneasel isn't a pure dark type. We were not instructed specifics, therefore I can use the excuse of not knowing."

  
At the mention of its name, the Pokemon comes trotting up to the boys, and hops back onto the counter. It sits itself down, peering up at Gold with a happy looking smile. Silver glances to the creature, then up at the black-haired individual it's staring at.

  
"To add, its claws are not "hazardous". If you label them as such, you're a fool. Unless I give it command to attack, the claws won't hurt. It's like a Growlithe; a house-pet."

  
Sneasel wiggles its claws up at Gold, who gives them a soft tap on the edges, checking to see if they're sharp. They're not, and unless he tried to cut himself, he wouldn't be able to.

  
"Just because its claws are visible does not mean it poses a threat. I'm not an idiot, I've thought through the Pokemon that I've chosen for this job. I don't need you to baby me."

  
Silver ends his short lecture with a huff and his nose stuck up in the air. He walks off with his Sneasel following after, it mimicking his huff and proud stance. Gold stares at the two and sticks his tongue out.

  
"Whatever! Just leave me to man the cash register, then..." He grumbles, crossing his arms and sticking his own nose up. He notices a customer enter, and greets them happily, now completely bracing himself for a busy day.

  
. . .

  
All day had been packed with people; customers came in and out in bursts, and the floor would shift between being full and being empty, save for the two workers and one Pokemon. Gold seemed to be the one working the register, and Silver appeared to be restocking. Or, something like that. It was hard to tell, because he wouldn't do anything when there were no customers, and when there were customers, Gold had no time to observe him. The current time stands at 5:57 pm - 3 minutes away from the end of their shift. With a loud, dramatic yawn, the breeder stretches his arms behind his neck and rests them there. He closes his eyes for a moment, and opens one to peer over at Silver, who had just returned Sneasel to its Pokeball and was now heading for the elevator with the other boy walking after him.

  
"Hard first day, huh?" Gold smiles, watching his co-worker closely for a reaction. The ginger just shrugs and stares at the elevator buttons, glowing as they move down in floors. He steps out immediately once the door splits open, and checks out with Pauline before quickly departing. Watching him, the black-haired male rolls his eyes, and checks out with his superior as well. The two bid each other a good rest of the evening and part their separate ways.  
Not a moment after arriving home, does Gold plop down onto his bed and immediately drift to sleep. The busy work day had taken a larger toll on him than he thought, especially with the added lack of rest he had received the night prior. For the few minutes before falling to a complete sleep, he thinks about his co-worker, Silver. He seems like such an enigma. It's hard not to wonder what's going through the boy's mind. Ah, well. Maybe he'll find out someday. For now, he can only dream.


	2. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Story switches to Silver for the majority of the chapter. Takes place a few hours after work ends in the first chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: the f slur (f*ggot) is used once in this chapter.

The gentle tapping of rain on windows echos through a small, empty house. Silver sits on his couch, his grey eyes droopy and clouded like the sky outside. All is quiet, save for the rain, and the distant sound of scrubbing on wood walls. The scrubbing carries on for a minute, before stopping. A female's voice replaces the noise, though hardly any louder.

"Silv?" Asks the voice. Silver flickers his gaze towards a dark hallway, illuminated by one lit room at the end of it. The head of a young girl pokes out, her long, chestnut brown hair glowing in the light.

  
"Could you help?" She questions, a quizzical expression on her face. With a quiet hum, the ginger heaves himself off of the couch, and makes his way over to the girl. She disappears behind the door frame, but comes into view once the male enters the room. He glances at the wall and examines what she's been cleaning. It had been graffiti, but all that remained of the word was an OT. You could still see what had been there prior, though. The two would need to paint over the red stain of already cleaned letters. Silver looks over at the female, who's staring sadly at the bucket of soapy red water she used to clean with. He puts a hand on her shoulder, and she turns her head up to look at him, a melancholic smile on her lips.

  
"I'm sorry, Silv. I didn't want to remind you about it. My arms just hurt." Her smile weakens a bit. "Sorry if I'm being selfish."

  
Silver shakes his head and moves his hand from her shoulder to the floor, grasping at the brush she's been using the scrub with. He dips it into the water, and works at scrubbing the last two letters away.

  
"It's okay, Blue. I appreciate the hard work you've done. I am sorry _you_ had to look at it the whole time." He pauses to examine the full word, just to remind himself. It reads, with the fainted letters included, FAGGOT. The ginger frowns, then goes back to cleaning. "...We don't need to think about it once we paint it over, alright?"

  
Blue stares at his hands scouring the wall, and nods a bit. She hums a soft "alright", and walks to a beanbag situated further in the room to plop down on it. Her eyes flutter closed, and the sound of the rain drowns out as she drifts to sleep.

  
. . .

  
Two hours later and the clock stands at 11:38 pm. Blue lies asleep in the same spot, and Silver finished cleaning what he could of the graffiti on the wall. He wanders back into their living room after bringing himself to brave the pitch-black hallway. Rough fingers feel around the cold wall until locating a warmer plastic rectangle, and flipping on a light. The boy proceeds to drag his hand to his forehead, and slowly runs his fingers through his hair, pulling roughly on his hair strands as he lets gravity carry his arm. It rests at his side while he stands in silence, staring at the only thing in the kitchen - a refrigerator. After a moment or two of staring it down expectantly, Silver decides it won't do anything on its own, and yanks the door open. Grey eyes flicker up and down the empty shelves, searching for something to eat. Though almost hidden completely, he locates a small carton of eggs shoved towards the back of the bottom shelf. As if his body is stone, he struggles to kneel down and reach his hand towards the carton. He's scared of it being empty again. He's scared of not having something for Blue to eat for dinner. They haven't eaten for the past two days, and it tears him to bits having to see her suffer. But, he won't ever find out if there's food unless he looks. With a groan, Silver pries the carton open with his long nails, and discovers not only one, but two eggs sitting perfectly in their designated cubbies. Face lit up with a bright smile, he checks the expiration date to find they're only a day over.

  
"Good enough." He hums with a shrug, and pulls himself to his feet. The boy kicks the refrigerator door shut and flicks on their stove. It takes a moment for the flame to light, but it gives him enough time to grab a pan, spray it with the last drops of a nonstick spray, and place it gently on the stove. While he waits for the pan to heat up enough, Silver kneels in front of it and watches the flame dance energetically. It reminds him of that boy he'd worked with earlier - what was his name again? The ginger snaps his fingers as a name comes to his mind...

"Gold."

  
Gold's head snaps up in surprise, amber eyes wide and scared. He rises from his bed, looking all around his room, before focusing on a blurry figure in the dim light. The silhouette flickers his light on, and reveals itself to be Red, Gold's roommate and older brother figure. He appears to be rather angry about something, as his arms are crossed and he's tapping his foot impatiently against the wood floors. Gold squints at him, straining his neck before deciding to flop back down on his bed and cover his face with his blanket. The assertive pound of stomping feet on wood gets closer to the boy's bed, before stopping.

  
"The house is a _mess_. I come home 6 days early, hoping my Goldielocks would have cleaned his rubbish - but he didn't! You sat in all the chairs, you didn't finish your porridge, you--"

  
"Enough!" Gold grumbles, peeking out from his covers with a pout. "Are you five? Stop callin' me that! 'N I have a _good reason_ as to why I didn't clean."

  
Red stares down at him and raises an eyebrow in question, then nods a little, urging him to explain. The younger male rolls his eyes and sighs softly before continuing.

  
"I started work. I'm an  adult... Adults don't have time to _clean_... I have to, uh, pay th' bills 'n stuff..." Gold glances to the side, grumbling a little to himself when finished. He's bad with excuses, but his energetic roommate usually goes with whatever.

 

"Did you? How is that? Meet anyone? I'm excited! Tell me all about it, Goldie!!" Red plops eagerly down onto the bed, a toothy grin painting his lips. Gold smiles a bit.

 

"It was whatever. It was real busy where I was workin'... 'N there was another newbie, so I was excited, right? Why wouldn't I be!But I spend _one day_ with tha' guy 'n Ican already tell he's a jerk! A real asshole, y'know?" Before he can go on, Red interrupts him with a loud grumble and a frown.

 

"Don't be a negative Nancy, Goldie, I'm sure he's a good guy! Maybe he was having a bad day."

 

"That's what I thought." Gold scoffs.

  
"...Why don't you tell me what you _liked_ about him instead." Crimson orbs soften, focusing on the Breeder, before closing to fit along with the boy's smile. Gold rolls his eyes and shrugs once more.

 

"I dunno'!! I mean... He's _cute_. But that's about it. He seems untrustworthy. But he is pretty. 'Least he's got somethin' goin' for him." He finishes with a huff, his lips puffing out into a pout. Red giggles and pokes his nose playfully.

 

"Is it a crush, Goldie?"

 

"Nahh... 'Least not a full-on one."

  
Red giggles again. "Okay, Goldie... Did you catch his name, by the way?"

 

Gold flicks his gaze to the other boy and blinks a few times, looking up as he thinks. He rubs the tip of his nose, trying to stir memories of yesterday.  
    

"I think... I think his name was..."

 

"...Silver?" A tired voice calls out, barely rising up to be heard above the pounding rain outside. Silver flips around to face Blue, whose hair is a tangled mess, eyes are droopy, and back is hunched. She lets out a soft yawn, waddling over to the ginger and resting her head on his shoulder. Her ocean blue eyes lock with his grey, and light up when she smiles even slightly.

  
    "Smells good." She sings sleepily, her eyes fluttering shut as she works to stand up straight. Silver smiles a little and nods, grabbing a plate wrapped in aluminum foil and holding it out to her.

  
"Found some leftover eggs. I'm glad you got up before they got cold." He laughs weakly. "Flame wasn't the hottest, but it did its job. Here-" The ginger gently takes her hand and leads her to the couch. He makes sure she can sit without passing out, and places the plate cautiously on her lap after unwrapping it. He watches her expression as she eats it; it makes him feel happy to see her enjoy herself, but it makes him a bit sad that it has to be due to food after days of starving. Blue turns to him after finishing and smiles brightly.

 

"Thank you, Silv. I'm thankful we had something." She pauses for a minute and frowns. "...Did you eat?"

  
Silver stares at her, looks to the ground, then back to her. He shrugs a little and tugs anxiously at his shirt collar, a quiet 'no' slipping past his lips. Blue frowns more and blows air in his face.

  
"You need to start eating when we can, Silv. I don't want you to starve, either."

  
She gets up and stretches before waddling back into the kitchen to wash her plate. Silver watches her and puffs his lips out in a pout once she turns the corner.

  
"Don't deserve it. Don't deserve it." He repeats to himself in a whisper. "I'd be greedy if I ate. I'm allowed to eat sometimes, I guess." He shrugs. "Guess I can tomorrow."

  
At that time, Blue enters the room again, and the ginger hushes himself up before she's within earshot. She slowly sits to resume her spot, and turns to Silver with a bright smile. Though the dim bulb in the room doesn't do much, Blue's smile seems to make up for it. Her friend smiles awkwardly back, which triggers a giggle from the brunette.

 

"You had work today, right?" She waits for a nod before speaking again. "Tell me about that."

  
Silver looks to the floor and frowns a little. "Not sure. Another boy around my age started at the same time, though. We ended up working on the same floor together. His personality is weird." The male pauses. "It makes me uneasy. But, it works well with my business if we're always to be partnered together."

 

Blue tilts her head. "How so?"

 

"Uh..." Silver glances to her for a moment. "He's very, ah... Lively. Distracted easily. But also distracts others easily." He begins to dig around in his large pant pockets before laying out at least twenty-four separate TMs on his lap. Blue's face lights up with excitement, and she begins to bounce. Silver's eyes soften and he smiles a little. "In simpler terms, it's easiest to steal with people like him."

  
Blue nods rapidly, her lips curved to a smile so wide it seems as though it could break her cheeks in two. "That's great, Silv!" She chimes, her ocean blue eyes scanning the TMs, mentally picking out what they are and how much they're worth. "These are all so good! You got twelve separate TMs in total, two of each... You're so smart, Silv, this is so great!"

  
Silver nods a little and laughs quietly. "I planned ahead and did what I could. You can sell them tomorrow in the National Park, probably around noon. You might get more business by the Pokeathalon dome, but I think someone would report you. Something like that." He shrugs. "Regardless - You make enough money off of those, I steal some more, I get a paycheck, I get in-store discounts at the Department Store, we eat better, we can get a better house, nicer things -- So on and so fourth." The ginger's eyes lights up at the thought. "I'm sure it will work."

  
Blue nods and grabs Silver's hands, squeezing them hard as an outlet for her happiness. "You're brilliant, Silver. I'm so proud of you... We'll pull it off, I know it. Don't you worry. We'll do it. We're better than this dirty house. We'll be rollin' in dough after this, you'll see Silvy." She grasps tighter at his hands and begins to tear up a bit. "You'll see."

  
...

  
2:43 am. The rain outside has only gotten louder, and the floor has only gotten colder. Blue lies soundly asleep on the couch, while Silver struggles to get himself to drift off for even 10 minutes at a time. He'll manage, though, if he gives himself something worthwhile to dream about. But that requires thinking. And thinking of a pleasant scene requires digging for happy memories buried in the sands of your mind. And at nearly 3 am, the boy just doesn't have the emotional stability to go through something like that - or at any point, really, but the early time seems like a good enough excuse.

  
Though void of happy past experiences to relive in his dreams, Silver has many things he could fantasize about. One of which ends up lulling the male to rest, along with the soothing roar of the rain on the roof. He thinks about how better things will be when he and Blue can afford a nicer home, and food to put on the table. It was the thought of Blue's smile that really helped him to sleep, though. Imagining he and Blue in a proper bed, in a house that doesn't creak in the wind, fooled his tired mind to believe he was already there, and made the floor feel like a cloud. In his imaginary realm, the first and last thing anyone says, is from Blue. She lies sprawled out on their new bed, her brunette hair painted perfectly along the snow-white sheets, and her ocean blue eyes shimmering like the sea on a summer's day. They remain focused on the ceiling fan, spinning, mesmerizing her. She turns to look at Silver.

  
Voice as gentle as a May shower, she ponders;

  
    _"Do all dreams come to an end?"_


	3. Invitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoa hey its been a few months! sorry about that, my life has been a little busy!

_As soon as the time ticks to the next minute, a small alarm clock shaped like the Pokemon Hoothoot begins to let out a cry out._ It goes off for a total of 10 seconds before a hand reaches over to slam the plastic body of the Pokemon, shoving it down its leg to trigger something to silence it. With a groan, Gold rises from his bed and flutters his eyes open. He flicks his gaze to the eyes of the Hoothoot alarm clock, and reads it to be 9:15 am. He grumbles louder and throws himself back down onto the bed, then pulls his covers over his face and starts to drift back to sleep. He hears a knock at his door and snaps back into a conscious state. For a moment, he ponders what to do, listening to the knocking as he thinks. It isn't long before the boy realizes who it is and shoots up, rushing to his dresser to pick out his clothes for the day.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Gold chimes, sounding as energetic as he would if he'd been up for the past hour. The knocking at the door ceases and footsteps can be heard heading back down the hall. Wiping sweat from his forehead, the breeder lets out a sigh of relief and laughs awkwardly to himself. 

From his dresser, he picks out an eggshell white tank top and a pair of black basketball shorts to wear. It doesn't take him any longer than a minute to slip them on, along with his red and white jacket over his shirt and his yellow and black hat placed on his head. He heads to the bathroom to freshen up and wash his face, then walks proudly out into the living room when finished. He looks dramatically from side to side, making sure his hair flips excessively while he does so. Noting Red isn't in sight, he struts into the kitchen with a triumphant smile and leans on the counter. Gold waits for his roommate to turn around from the food he's making, and sure enough, he does. The two stare at each other for a moment - Red, in awe, and Gold, slyly. The breeder's friend begins to softly giggle as he examines him.

"You look ready for the day." Red smiles.

"Damn straight I'm ready for the day!" Gold stomps one foot on the ground and stands up straight, a determined look on his face. He peeks over at the food that Red is preparing and walks over to it, then grabs a slice of bread sitting on a plate and shoves one egg from the pan onto the bread with a mere spoon - which is no easy task. While his roommate watches him with a questioning expression, the breeder simply looks to him and nods, then marches to the door. He raises one arm in the air to wave and takes a bite of his food, then heads out. Red begins giggling to himself, but is interrupted when the door is opened once more. Gold rushes into his room, grabs a Pokeball, clicks it onto his belt, and then leaves, earning a fit of laughs from his roommate.

Gold walks quickly along the usual path he takes to work, humming in beat to a song he can't name. He glances over at his Pokegear and notes the time to be 9:45 am, then looks ahead to see the Goldenrod Department Store towering above all else. He isn't far from it, maybe another two minutes or so and he should arrive. Amber eyes flicker to a barely visible Pokeball poking from beneath his jacket. Gold takes it from his belt and throws it casually, sending out one of his closest partner Pokemon, Aibo. The Ambipom looks up at him with its usual grin and lets out a soft giggle. He waves and smiles back, continuing to walk along with his friend. After a quiet minute, he notices the Department Store just ahead, and holds out the remainder of his breakfast to his Pokemon.

"Eat up, Aibo. It's gonna be a long day." Gold smiles softly, nudging the food forward until Aibo grabs it with one of its tail-hands and shoves it all into its mouth. Trainer and Pokemon exchange glances before both let out a fit of laughs, and enter the store. Pauline sits at the front counter and waves to the two, giving them a bright smile.

"Good morning, Gold! Your Pokemon looks very friendly." She hums, observing the Ambipom, who blushes at the compliment. Gold swipes the side of his index finger to the tip of his nose and snickers proudly.

"He is! I've known him since I was born... We're like family!" 

Pauline laughs softly. "Is that so?"

Gold nods and proceeds to march to the elevator, pressing the button leading to the fifth floor. When the door closes, he quickly turns to his Pokemon and whispers;

"Now listen, Aibo. There's this real shady guy I work with. His name's Silver an' I don't trust him, so neither should you! I think somethin's going on, so you keep a close eye on 'em, alright?" 

Aibo nods in understanding, looking a bit peeved at the mention of someone upsetting his trainer. Just then, the elevator door opens and reveals a dimly lit floor, with only one light turned on towards the back. Someone appears to be sitting on the floor, slumped up against the front wall of the counter. There's enough light to identify the person to be Silver, and Gold and Aibo quietly walk over to him. Gold kneels by the ginger, observing his features. He seems to have dark bags under his eyes, and considering he's sleeping in the short time before work, it's obvious he didn't rest much the night prior. Gold smiles a bit and softly presses his back against the counter, silently sitting next to his co-worker. He researches Silver's every detail for a few quiet minutes, watching the way he twitches in his sleep, and the expressions he makes indicating an unpleasant dream. He isn't so scary when he's sleeping... In fact, he's kind of -

"Pretty." Gold mutters, leaning closer to the sleeping boy's face. He stares into his closed eyes, and upon noticing them slowly flutter open, he hops up in surprise and rushes quietly to elevator door. He pretends to have just arrived and flips on the light, with Aibo playing along by faking a curious expression and looking around the unfamiliar room. Silver stirs slowly, reaching a hand to his face to rub his eyes before stretching. He looks around, too tired to get up, and notices Gold. He squints and huffs softly, rising in a sluggish manner. He wobbles towards the breeder for a minute, trying to keep himself balanced. Unable to do so, he grabs onto the counter and places a hand over his eyes, grumbling to himself. Gold tilts his head curiously and walks over to him, peeking up at the tired boy.

"...Y'alright, Silv?...Er." He corrects himself quickly, remembering the ginger isn't one for nicknames. The male nods and lets his hand fall from his face, then stands up straight, dusts off his jacket, and walks calmly behind the counter. He looks over to Gold and frowns ever so slightly.

"Were you watching me sleep?" He scowls, his cold, grey eyes affixed on the breeder. Gold stares at him for a moment, then crosses his arms and sticks his nose up, turning his head to look the other way with a pout.

"So what if I was!" He barks, stomping along to the spot at the counter next to his co-worker. 

"I didn't give you permission. You had no right to watch me, therefore, what you did is an invasion of privacy."

"Bullshit!" Gold spits. "I didn't wanna' wake you up so I waited, alright? Don't get all pissy with me, asshole. I was bein' polite. You should try it sometime." He sticks his tongue out at Silver, who rolls his eyes in response. The long haired boy unlocks the cash register and observes its contents, then closes it and walks to check the shelves of TMs. He raises a hand and waves it towards Gold.

"Whatever." The ginger sighs quietly to himself. Gold sits where he was, making faces at the other from behind the counter. Aibo joins in, and the two continue just to amuse each other. After tiring of searching shelves, debating what to take, Silver sends out his Sneasel. It immediately turns to Gold and Aibo, glaring at the two. Gold sticks his tongue out at it, while Aibo waves its tail-hands mockingly. The Sneasel sticks its own tongue out and turns swiftly around, thrusting its behind towards the two before hiding behind Silver. The trainer walks to the next aisle of TMs, turns around, and eyes Gold and his Pokemon.

"Keep making faces and it'll stay like that." Silver remarks playfully, earning a grumble from his co-worker.

"Thanks, Mom." The cocoa-skinned boy huffs, his Pokemon mimicking him.

After their fun, the two prep for the day. Gold checks the counter to make sure it's clean, and checks the cash register to make sure there's change, while Silver takes note of the item stock, and makes mental notes on what to swipe. Business seems to be slower than yesterday, but it does occasionally speed up. Aibo is a huge hit with customers, especially children, as it's a generally happy looking Pokemon, with its dumb grin and the warm-colored fur it has. Many parents found it to be a useful Pokemon in the store, as it kept their kids occupied while they browse Technical Machines. During later hours, time almost seems to stand at a halt, and Aibo begins to tire, so Gold returns him to avoid wearing the creature out too much. After 4 pm, they began to get less and less customers, and now 30 minutes from when their shift ends, there's no one but the two young workers and one Pokemon left. 

With a loud sigh, Gold plops onto the ground directly next to Silver and looks up at him with a bored expression. The ginger ignores him and continues sorting through TMs, his Sneasel sitting gracefully on his shoulder, observing the disks with him. Gold stares at the two, his lips slowly forming an irritated pout. He sighs louder in an attempt to grab their attention, and succeeds. Silver looks dully down at him, squinting his grey eyes. 

"What do you want?" He asks drily, not caring, but figuring asking is the only way to get him to stop.

"Attention!" Gold whines, now clacking the sides of his shoes together in a steady rhythm. Sneasel's ears fold down as the sound continues, and it kicks at a Pokeball sitting hidden on Silver's belt. The ginger grasps at it and returns his Pokemon after giving it a scratch behind the ear. He clicks the Pokeball back to his belt and sits down across from Gold, who stops making any sounds and situates his legs to sit on them, with each on either side of the boy. He places his hands daintily on the floor between his legs, then waits patiently, staring up at Silver with wide, puppy-like eyes. The two exchange glances for a moment before Silver grumbles and looks away, finding it hard to maintain eye contact when not needing to be professional or serious. Both open their mouths to speak at the same time, but Gold ends up pushing his voice through the silence first.

"Sooo... I know it's only our second day, but hear me out-" He begins, leaning forward a bit to make sure he's got his co-worker's attention. "I was thinking... You and I--" 

"If it involves "us", I'm not interested in hearing." Silver interrupts, getting ready to stand up before Gold grasps at his knee and eyes him with an irritated expression.

"Stay put 'till I'm done!! Where'd you learn your manners? Sheesh..." The boy huffs and sits back, his vibe mildly ticked off compared to the previously ecstatic aura. Silver lowers himself back down, a bored look painting his face as he dreads the coming proposal. 

"To repeat-- I was thinking that you and I could, like... y'know..." Gold clears his throat before going on, his striking amber eyes darting quickly around the room, almost mimicking a lightning bolt in appearance. "Hang out? Today's short notice so... maybe tomorrow? We've got th' graveshift but there's the whole day to do stuff. Whaddya say?"

Silver stares at him, the same empty expression on his face. He takes in a breath to speak, but stops, his expression molding to that of an alarming realization. If he denies the proposal and tells Blue, she'll be terribly sad. She's always going on about how lonely it must be for Silver to only have her as company, even though he tells her he doesn't mind. Of course, he could just hide it from her, but that's hard for him to do. The ginger is incredibly good at hiding things from people, but not from Blue. He would feel guilty doing so, especially because she always asks about his day, and to leave out something so eventful would be obvious. But even if he did pull it off, she would find out somehow, as she's frighteningly good at sneaking about to find what she needs. And of course, Silver doesn't have to give a definite answer. He could tell Blue about it and discuss it with her, then give Gold an answer tomorrow. He nods to himself and turns his focus back to Gold, who's staring at him with a tilted head and a confused expression.

"I'll think it over." As soon as the words hit Gold's ears, his face lights up with a beaming smile and he bounces excitedly. Realizing he's probably being an embarrassment, he takes a deep breath to contain himself and gives a smaller smile.

"Ya' won't regret it!" He winks. "I'll give you my Pokegear number, since I don't know where your house is, you don't know where mine is, and we'll be tired after work, so we don't wanna' do stuff then." The boy pulls a pen out of his pocket and glances around for a slip of paper. He draws his attention to a hand extended to him, and traces it back to its source to find an embarrassed Silver, glancing to the side with a soft blush dusting his pale cheeks.

"Just write it here. I don't want to waste time." He grumbles, shoving his hand forward more, closer to Gold, who grasps it gently and starts writing on him. The ginger develops a frown, but only to keep himself from laughing, which grows obvious due to his increasingly deeper blush. Gold looks up at him between every number, writing them slowly just to observe him. He's so -

"Cute." He hums, barely loud enough for Silver to hear. However, he does, and just grows redder. He tugs at his arm a bit, teasing that he'll pull it back if he doesn't stop taking so long. Grasping the hint, the breeder speeds it up a bit, but instead takes the time to observe his beautiful hands. The proportions of everything seems so perfect - his finger are long, but they're not bony, or too fat, and his skin is so smooth and beautiful. His long nails also add to the appeal, as the black paint isn't at all painted too little or too much, and make him seem more unique, with stylized nails rather than leaving them without design. Gold is snapped back from his trance when Silver roughly pulls his arm back, holding it close to his side before immediately standing up. He looks down at his co-worker, his expression back to being dull as ever, and the blush on his cheeks nearly faded. 

"Thanks. If I decide not to, I will not call. Don't get your hopes up." He turns towards the elevator and walks to it, pressing the button to call it to the floor they stand on. In the handful of seconds he's waiting, he turns back to Gold to speak. "And next time, pay attention to what you're doing. Your distractions cost others."

Gold quickly heaves himself up and rushes to the elevator to catch it before it leaves with Silver, and turns to the ginger after stepping in, nodding in understanding.

"Alright, okay, I see what you're sayin'. I should focus more on... the task at hand." The breeder snaps with both hands in unison, wiggles two finger guns at Silver, and winks. The other simply rolls his eyes and steps out of the elevator, checking with Pauline and heading out. Gold does so in the same manner, and manages to catch Silver leaving before he's completely disappeared. 

"Hey, Silv!" He cups a hand to his cheek to carry his voice further, and continues on. "Have a good night!"

Silver glances back at him and stares, shrugging and moving on. The breeder frowns and huffs, now heading to his own home. 

"Sheesh," He places his hands on the back of his neck and closes one eye, peeking towards the area his co-worker vanished into. "Y'think someone would'a taught him some manners... Whatever. 'Least I might see him outta' work tomorrow."

Gold looks up to the sky and observes the mosaic of colors dyed across it, surrounding clouds reflecting the yellow, red, orange, and creams to make an almost fantasy landscape. The boy smiles faintly and sighs in content, continuing to walk along the path leading home. He hums the same unknown tune that he sung on the way to work, now with a tired mind and an eager-to-sleep attitude. He looks forward to a good rest, and gives a beaming smile at the thought of spending time with a new person. Maybe he'll have fun tomorrow with Silver, if he decides to call. 

"I hope..." He begins, looking out to the vast sky above the city. "I don't screw this up."


	4. A Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being invited to spend a day out with Gold, Silver returns home to discuss the proposal with Blue and finalizes his decisions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'VE HAD THIS WRITTEN FOR TWO YEARS I am SO sorry oh my god... I really, really liked this so I do plan on continuing it. I'm very sorry for the wait! I'll make it worthwhile soon!

Silver sits on the curb outside of his home, his head lowered and his eyes clouded with thought. He had been invited by a co-worker to "hangout" before their long work day, and still couldn't come to a conclusion on the matter. The more he thinks about it, the more pros and cons he picks out about giving either answer. Ultimately, the boy would leave it up to Blue, but he needs to have at least an idea of what he may prefer. It's been years since Silver has actually spent time with someone who isn't his roommate, and the suggestion seems a bit frightening. It seems foreign. 

"I don't..." He mutters to himself, squinting at the ground. "Want to think about this right now..."

With that, the male heaves himself up from his depressive pose and heads into his home. He scans the living room for Blue, but finds her nowhere in sight. Silver narrows his eyes and walks over to the hallway, staring down it. Very slowly and quietly, he walks over to the room that he and Blue share, and notes it as closed. He puts an ear to the door and listens. For a good minute, it's mostly quiet. But the noises of two people can be heard, and without a second thought, Silver barges into the room.

"Please get out of my house." He glares at the person in the room who isn't Blue. Said person seems to be a young girl around Blue's age, with pink hair that's parted into two messy ponytails. Embarrassed, she quickly slips on a white shirt which had been tossed on the ground, and waves to Blue. She rushes past Silver with a quiet apology and can be heard closing the front door a few seconds later.  
Feeling mildly annoyed but accomplished, the ginger walks over to Blue and sits on the side of the bed she's on. His roommate appears to be pouting, and sticks her tongue out at him after staring for a moment.

"You're a meanie, Silvy... I finally get a cute girl to come into our junk house and you scare her off." Blue throws her back to the bed and shoves a pillow onto her face, grumbling loudly into it. "And she was _really cute!_ "

"It's our bed, Blue. I've told you I don't like when you... Do things in it." Silver sticks his tongue out a bit and looks to the left side of the bed with a disgusted expression. "Makeout on the couch or something, I can at least live with that. But I cannot rest my head peacefully at night knowing someone lied in the same spot to..." He shivers and waves a hand around in circles. "...You know."

Blue sighs and lifts the pillow off of her face to sit up. "I know, Silv... I'm sorry." She offers an apologetic smile which Silver accepts with a simple huff. The long-haired brunette scoots closer to the boy and crosses her legs, then rests her elbows on them and props her chin up on her palms.

"How was work?"

"It was fine." Silver mutters. "I got asked something."

Blue's face lights up and she moves closer to him, nodding a little.

"Did Silvy get asked out on a daaate?" The girl sings, looking up at the ginger, eagerly awaiting a response. Silver grumbles in embarrassment and looks to the side.

"N...No... I was asked to hangout. With, ah... Gold." He says his co-worker's name quietly, as it still feels odd to refer to him as anything at all. Blue begins to giggle softly.

"I was right, then! - Hangout where? Did you get his number?" She questions, staring up at him expectantly. The boy offers out his hand and taps at his palm, showing the number to the brunette, who purrs in content.

"What did you decide on? We should call him before it gets late and tell him."

"Ah..." Silver raises a hand and places it behind his neck, awkwardly rubbing it as his eyes flicker to the corner of the room. "I was hoping you could help me with that."

Blue puffs her lips out and looks up, her head swaying back and fourth as she thinks. A hum rumbles in her throat, causing her roommate to snap from his trance-like stare, and focus on her. He smiles a little. She's so excessive, but it's not bad.

"Well... I think you should go. It's a good opportunity for you to socialize!" Blue looks over at the ginger with a smile. "Plus, if he's super cute, I bet I could hit him with my charm and then your co-worker would be forever in-debt to you for introducing us, and if he ever caught you stealing, he wouldn't tell!" She giggles softly, muttering to herself about how much of a genius she is. Silver rolls his eyes.  
"I won't go just so you can have someone else dirty our bed." 

Blue nods and smiles. "I know, Silv, I'm jokin'." She sticks her tongue out and winks.

"But I really do think it's a good chance to get out and just... Meet others."

Silver listens to her carefully, letting every word seep into his skin so that he can seriously decide on what he wants without his negative approach clouding it.  
"I'm sure he's a nice guy. You said he was... Lively? Energetic? Something like that. That is exactly the type of person you need to adapt to. This is the perfect chance to -" She pauses and frowns, trying to think of a word. Her right hand waves in circles as she continues her thought. "- For lack of a better word, experiment with people like him. Plus, it'll make your job easier! Get him to trust you an' you won't have to worry about a thing, Silvy."

Silver nods as he listens, his eyes focused on Blue and flicking to the side as he opens his mouth to speak.

"I... suppose you're right. It doesn't hurt to try something new." He looks back to Blue and smiles weakly. "Can I borrow your Pokegear?"

Blue hops up excitedly and skips to a small dresser they have. She digs around in a pile of miscellaneous stolen items, and pulls out a rectangular peach colored device. 

"It's not mine..." She begins, and is interrupted by Silver.

"What in this house isn't someone else's." 

Blue looks up at him and smiles, her eyes rolling playfully. She plops down next to him and holds it out to the boy, who takes it gently and observes it. He brings the device close to his face and squints, then looks at the brunette with a small frown.

"This belongs to Lyra. You didn't take it from her, did you?"

Blue shakes her head. "Nah, Silv, I couldn't do that to you. I know how much you like her. She left it and since mine isn't working, I figure we use hers till we get it back to her."

Silver nods a little bit and relaxes. Staring at the number scribbled on his palm, he burns it in his head and enters it perfectly into the Pokegear. He rests his free hand behind him and leans back, using it to prop himself up. After a few seconds of ringing, a boy on the other line groans groggily, and manages to mutter a confused greeting.

"You invited me to visit with you tomorrow and I have come to a conclusion."

"And?" Shifting can be heard over the phone, and the breeder's voice is now as energetic as it usually is.

"I believe that..." Silver glances nervously at Blue, who nods with an encouraging expression. "It would be alright to "hangout" until work begins."

Gold lets out a soft gasp. "What time do you want to meet up? And do you mean all day until work starts 'cause that's what I'm gettin', and if not you need to tell me because I will keep you out until then, I have so much planned and--" 

"10 am will do." The ginger interrupts.

The breeder is quiet for a few seconds, and can be heard muttering numbers to himself before he lets out a loud "Aaah!" in happiness.

"That's 12 hours! That's long for our first time hangin' out! Ya' sure?"

Silver looks over at Blue again, who appears to be thinking. She glances back to the boy and slowly begins to nod, though seeming a little unsure. 

"It will be fine. I--"

His brunette roommate scoots closer to him and whispers;  
"Tell him you won't bail."

Silver squints his eyes and opens his mouth in disgust, but sighs and continues on with a dull voice.

"...Promise I will not bail."

"Sick!!" Gold beams. "Tomorrow at 10 am, then. Let's meet by th' gym. An' don't wear those borin' clothes of yours! You've gotta have somethin' other than baggy emo clothes, right?"

"They are not baggy emo clothes." Silver grumbles. He looks over at Blue, who's nodding with a smile on her face. She mouths "they are", and the ginger rolls his eyes at her.

"Whatever. I'll find something else. But don't expect it. Don't be late, either."

With that, Silver hangs up, and stares blankly at the Pokegear until its screen goes dark due to inactivity. The bed begins to bounce and creak, which is due to Blue's excited hopping.

"Good job, Silvy! You'll have fun, I know it."

The ginger looks over at her smiles weakly, then looks back down to the Pokegear. An idea popping into his head, the male clicks the Pokegear back on and quickly sets an alarm. The device goes dark again once the action is preformed, and is set on the nightstand near his side of the bed. He looks back to Blue, who is yawning quietly.

"That... Aside..." She begins, rubbing her eyes. "You get anything good today?"

Silver stares at her for a moment, then digs around in his coat pocket and pulls out seven TMs. All are of the same move, False Swipe-- a move in high demand due to its usefulness for Trainers looking to catch Pokemon to fill their Pokedex.

"Everything else was under-stocked, so I didn't steal in fear of it being noticed. But these were available. We had not yet put them in the store at all, so it would be assumed this is the amount we received."  
Blue hums happily, gently takes the TMs from the ginger's gloved hands, and sets them in a drawer filled with other TMs he had stolen prior. 

"I sold about 240 P worth of TMs. Not a lot for TMs, but a lot for us. I put half of it in a savings jar." She taps a glass Meowth-shaped bank sitting on their dresser, and points to the added money. "We work hard and this'll be filled with enough money to get ourselves a nice place." The brunette walks over to the bed and sits on the edge of it before scooting back and laying down on the right side. She taps Silver's back with her foot, and pats the left side of the bed.

"Get some rest. You've got a long day ahead."

Silver sighs softly and nods. "I suppose."

He slips off his heavy jacket, leaving a plain black t-shirt, and changes his pants into lighter shorts. He sets his boots near the door of the room and shifts into the bed. The last things to come off are his gloves, which he sets on his nightstand, next to the Pokegear. He lies down and stares at them until Blue flicks off their lamp light and the objects are swallowed by the darkness.  
"Rest well, Silv." Blue coos, shifting on her side so her back is facing the male. He nods a little bit, glancing towards her direction before fluttering his eyes closed.

"You too, Blue."


	5. Blooming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver took Gold up on an invite to spend the day together, and the two enjoy long hours of competitive spins on bug-catching and eating. An intimate chapter, furthering the relationship the boys have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO sorry it's so long... Thank you for reading qwq

The ringing of an alarm begins to sound, disturbing the quiet slumber of a dirty old home. A young red-head rises from his bed and flicks the device emitting the noise, reading it to be 9:00 am before it turns off. All goes quiet once more. Silver rolls onto his back, his heavy eyelids making it hard to stay awake. However, the heat of the room eventually stirs him from his comfortable position and forces him to sit up. His tired grey eyes scan the room, looking for an unknown item. Unable to find what he wasn't looking for, he slides to the end of his bed and stands up, his mouth stretching to a yawn and his arms raising above his head.

"Blue...?" The ginger weakly calls out, noting the young female's absence from the bed. With no answer, he proceeds to stumble over to his dresser, and opens a drawer. He picks out a torn pair of charcoal jeans and a tight black jacket to layer over his dark tank top. Silver slips both on sluggishly, hobbling out of his room and to the bathroom. He freshens up a bit, brushes through his hair a few times, raises his eyebrows at himself in the mirror, and heads out into the living room. Blue and another female of the same age are sitting on the couch, flipping through a picture book that Silver can't quite identify. Once he walks into view, both look up, with Blue to be the first to smile at him.

"Morning, sunshine. How'd you sleep?" She giggles softly. “You look ready for today.”

"I slept alright." The ginger glances over at the other female, who waves once at him.

"Been a while, kid." She leans back into Blue's arms, who rests her chin on the female's jet-black hair.

"You remember Sabrina, right, Silvy?"

"Of course I do." Silver grumbles, almost offended that she thinks his memory is _that_ bad. "It's been a year or so."

Sabrina nods a little, snickering.

"'S hard to get the league to give me a day off, much less a week to visit my girlfriend. And I am aware you two are unable to afford a visit, so the only opportunity I have to see you is when Lance feels generous."

"Which is rare." Blue chimes in, and her girlfriend agrees.

"Ah." Silver nods a little, his gaze drifting to avoid having to focus on the two. "How long will you stay for?"

"Until tomorrow morning. Blue and I are working out details."

The ginger nods again, a hand rising to his cheek and pushing it in towards his mouth, allowing him to anxiously chew at it. Blue stares up at him and frowns, then lightly kicks the boy's ankle.

"Stop that. Go get some real breakfast..." The female hugs Sabrina closer, giggling softly to herself. "With your _date_ , and enjoy yourself! There's no need to be nervous, Silvy."

With a compelled smile, Silver brings his hand down from his cheek and rests it at his side. He walks towards the door, checks the time, then looks back to the two girls and waves weakly. He swings the door open and exits, now on his way to the Goldenrod Gym.

The walk time to the gym is about 30 minutes, as it lies on the edges of town and Silver lives around the outskirts. The boy walks along with his head lowered and his grey eyes glued to the ground beneath his feet. He picks nervously at some string at the end of his shirt, choosing to focus on that rather than the crowds of people passing by. He hates this busy city, it's too social for his liking. The ginger ponders why he allowed himself to be swayed into agreeing to see Gold today - and to stay with him _all_ day. His eyes quickly flicker up and he grumbles, mentally noting the approaching silhouette of a familiar jet-black haired male. Silver stands up straight, clears his throat quietly, and stands in front of the other boy waiting until he says something. However, Gold seems to be distracted by something inside of the gym, as his forehead is pressed to its glass windows, striking amber eyes flicking from left to right as he observes. It takes him about five minutes before noticing Silver's reflection in the window, which he ignores first out of embarrassment. After contemplating what to say, he turns around with a bright, excited smile to proclaim:

"You look gay today!"

Wait. Gold freezes up, his expression wiping blank and his mouth closing. He stands still for a moment, then lets out a sigh and presses his hands to his face.

"I'm sorry. Lemme try again." The boy clears his throat and stands up straight, a goofy grin painting his lips as though nothing had happened.

"You look great today!" The boy nods to himself, giving a confident smile. Silver sighs and rolls his eyes, stepping a little closer to the window to peer in. He researches the events going on behind the window with fascination. Gold hops up to him, pressing his shoulder against the ginger's own and staring into the window with him.

"Exciting, huh? I love watchin' Whitney battle! She's a good friend'a mine. She's a real serious trainer."

Silver squints, leaning closer to observe the gym leader's appearance. She has pink hair parted into two messy ponytails, and appears to be Blue's age. The male exhales deeply. It's hard for him to grasp that the Goldenrod Gym Leader had been in his home the other day, making out with his sister. If he hadn't interrupted, perhaps he and Blue could've scored some money by playing on her sympathy. The boy quietly curses to himself, then turns back to watch the battle.

"Sooo..." Gold begins, drawing his date's attention his direction. "Whaddya wanna do?"

His ginger companion stares at him with a blank expression, then turns away.

"You said you had that planned?"

"Uh! Sure, yeah, I _did_... Uhh..." The breeder fumbles around a little, shoving his hands in his jacket pocket and looking around for something to trigger his memory. His golden eyes land on a small dandelion poking through the cement cracks, and his face lights up.

"We'll go to the National Park! Ever been there? It's pretty."

Without giving the other boy a moment to respond, he grabs his hand and drags him towards an exit to the front left of the gym building. It's only when his hand is grabbed, that Silver realizes what he had been looking for: his gloves. He had forgotten to put them on, and it only now dawned on him due to the cold touch of Gold's palm on his own. He fidgets a little, trying to shift his hand free from the other's grasp. He never takes his gloves off even in the privacy of his own home. To have a stranger touch him is…

“Uh.”

Gold pauses, turning back to the boy with attention piqued. Though it takes him a moment, he realizes his eager action and releases Silver’s hand, who shoves it into his jacket pockets.

“Sorry, Silv. I should’a asked. Your hands ‘re pretty warm.”

Awkwardly they stand for a time, until the blare of an airhorn sounds and knocks them out of their heads. They walk on, Gold running ahead with increasing excitement. He hops and begins to skip backwards, his face lit up.

“They’re doin’ bug catching today. I totally forgot! Dya like bugs, Silv?”

Silver looks up to think, recalling if there are any particularly cute bug types or any with a dark dual typing. He shrugs a bit before slipping the gentlest of smiles, catching his friend off-guard and forcing him to run forwards again for fear of being caught blushing. The grey pavement at their feet quickly turns to colorful blood-orange bricks as they pass under an arch marking their entrance into the National Park, and the scene bursts with life. Trainers litter the grassy off-paths, bunching together in strategizing groups, waiting in lines to sign up and receive a net, and gathering at the foot of a podium once they have been retrieved. Naturally, Gold had wandered off while his date was observing and signed the two up, now jumping back with two green nets in his hands. He holds one out, a toothy grin plastered on his lips.

“Here! Our numbers are 163—“ He slaps a sticker on his left breast then peels the other to offer to Silver. He shoves the trash of both into his pocket. “—And 165! There was a girl before me. We put these on an’ take our nets an’ we can go ‘n catch some bug types!”

The ginger gently transfers the sticker to the tip of his finger and presses it on his right jean pocket, taking the net next to hold. He stands oddly for a bit, wondering how to react to such a drastic change in scenery. Thinking back to Blue’s only wish, “Have fun!” echoes in his mind, and his resolve to do just that becomes clear. He corrects his sloppy stance and confidently grasps the net with both hands, turning to Gold.

“Hey. Let’s see who can catch the most.”

Gold stares at Silver, their eyes locking. Burning grey orbs convey a serious message, and amber quickly return with acceptance and flare.

“Hah! Hardly a challenge. I bet you’ve never even caught a bug type!” Gold adjusts his hat and pulls his goggles confidently over his eyes, earning a look of disbelief from his partner.

“Oh? And you have?”

Before the breeder can retort, a single airhorn sounds and both immediately rush off, running in different directions to cover their own ground. They snake around other trainers in their quest to shake trees and dig around bushes, Gold obtaining a total of four and Silver leading by five, before wandering near one another on opposite sectors of the park. Tall, thick pine trees pack much denser here where a forest borders the park, holding far more potential for catching rare bugs. Gold shovels in first, haphazardly making his way past tangled brush. Upon seeing movement, the filter of his goggles distorts it to be a bug and he swings his net to successfully catch himself a… quite upset looking red-head. Though he tries to bite his lip and contain it, the boy ends up releasing a fit of laughter before moving his goggles back up to sit on his hat and freeing his date, whose icy glare bores nearly through him.

“Ahahaha! Silver, I’m sorry, sometimes even my friends BUG me! Ahaa..” Gold wipes a tear from the corner of his eye before patting Silver’s shoulder in a friendly gesture, clearing the pale boy’s lips of the annoyed purse and replacing it with an almost forced look of tolerance. He glances at the belt of his rival and notes himself to have caught more, his lips curved into an accomplished.

“I see you’ve managed some Pokemon.” Silver snickers, passive-aggressive tones lacing his words. Gold glares back at him, his lips puffing out and his eyebrows furrowing.

“Yeah, maybe I have! I’m gonna get more. An’ I’m gonna get ‘em before you. I know those two things.”

“You know things? I’m learning so much today.” The ginger waits in amusement for the glare he knows is coming, but he couldn’t prepare himself for the quick disappearance of the look as his date slams into a tree, causing Gold to yelp in shock and drop on his butt. He rubs his cheek, and as Silver bends down to help him, something falls from above and into the boy’s lap. Both of their attentions snap to the creature, matted purple fur and antennae immediately identifying it as a Venonat. Patches of fluff appear to be torn off, and mud clots in bunches. The two exchange looks, shifting to face each other and to examine the animal with care.

“Hey little guy.” Gold softly hums and smiles down on it, comforting the shivering mass. “You’re more battered than I am. Let’s get you somewhere safe, ’kay? Here.”  
The boy takes an empty Pokeball from his belt and presses it gently to the Venonat’s forehead, the Pokemon welcoming the safety and allowing itself to be captured immediately. Silver stands first and walks towards the direction they came, Gold following suit. Their nets are entirely forgotten, now sitting alone on the foliage. The boys fall in next to one another as they exit the thicket and make their way back to town. Gold begins to laugh, his hands resting behind his neck.

“Man! We spent like… three hours doin’ all that. At least we got some new pals outta’ it.”

Silver’s lips curl into a lighthearted smile and he hums in agreement. However, his mind quickly drifts to questioning the injuries of the Venonat they are on their way to delivering to the Pokemon Center.

“I think it was trying to climb.”

“Huh?” Gold closes one eye and leans his head forward to see his friends face clearer.

“Perhaps it has watched Weedle and Caterpie climb to create their evolutionary chrysalises… It wanted to do the same.”

Nodding, the breeder begins to pick his pace up as the center comes into view. “I see. Thinks it has a mid-stage, too. Poor bud.” He clicks the Pokeball off his belt and lifts it to his face, peering into the worn Venonat’s chamber. “Not all bug types are created equal, man.”

Hurriedly, the two enter the Pokemon Center and turn the ball over to Nurse Joy, who promises to have it out healthy and happy soon. The boys situate themselves on a bench adjacent to the counter, each quiet as they allow the situation to seep in. Gold leans back on his chair, his gaze focused intently on the ceiling. His lips curl up in a sly smirk before he shoots a look towards Silver, who turns his face ever so slightly to meet it.

“I won.”

Silver squints. ”What?”

“I won!”

“Excuse me?” The ginger grumbles, tugging at his rival’s belt and tapping at the four Pokeballs. “I didn’t think you were _that_ dumb… I have five. You have four.”

Gold squeezes his eyes shut and places a hand on his chin, his legs crossing as he leans forward with several nods. “You have one more than me, I see… But technically, Venonat was caught in one’a my Pokeballs, right?”

The boys stare at one another, cocky amber orbs boring into annoyed grey. Silver bites the inside of his lower lip.

“We’re still just tied.”

“Naw.” Gold sticks his tongue out, obviously only insisting upon such faulty logic in hopes of getting a reaction. “Venonat was like, hurt. I saved it! THAT should count for another Pokemon. Bein’ a good guy deserves credit!”

Silver scoffs. “That’s a warped way of seeing it. Doing the right thing should just be done. It doesn’t need to be rewarded.”

“Hmn…” Jet-black tufts swaying as he nods, the breeder seems to be in agreeance. “I guess so. At least in the case of a Pokemon. Maybe as a prize, we could—“

Before he can elaborate, the gentle slide of care room doors sounds and draws their attention to a familiar face. With a soft smile, Nurse Joy holds out the Pokeball to Gold and hums.

“Venonat should be all better now. It’s also close to evolving, if you wanted to know. Venomoth have short life spans, so I thought I would tell you in case you want your friend to stay around a little longer.”

After the boys thank her, she disappears behind the center doors she came from and they are left standing alone. With a happy sigh, Gold peers into the Pokeball of his newly claimed friend and turns for the doors, his date following after. They stroll along, now at ease with the knowledge that the recent excitement has slowed to a sway.

“What now?” Silver inquires, tilting his head to accompany his question. Glancing over at him, the breeder shrugs his shoulders and begins to mindlessly fiddle with the ball in his hands, doing his best to weave it between fingertips.

“Dunno! We could go get some grub, if yer hungry…”

Without a moment of hesitation, Silver agrees. His stomach conveniently twists at the mention of a meal, informing the two of the urgency. Smiling a little, Gold scans what buildings he can see and spots the familiar horns of a large plastic Miltank. He points at it as it grows ever-closer with their leisurely walking, checking to ensure his companion sees it as well.

“Rollout Restaurant an’ Milk Bar! Tastes great. Along with the gym, it’s owned by Whitney’s family.”

“What do they serve?”

“Lotsa milk-based products;”

Silver cringes a bit. Dairy doesn’t keep for very long. It might be nice to enjoy while he’s out, but to take any home for Blue might risk the two over-feeding in an attempt to not waste the food before its quick expiration date.

“Anything else?”

“Hmn…” Gold taps the side of his lip as he ponders. “I know they’ve got th’ basics, like burgers ‘n fries. I think they’ve probably got some torchic, too… If you like spicy!”

Without thinking, the ginger blurts: “Is that a challenge?”

Being forced to accept the fighting words he just sputtered, Silver exchanges a quizzical look with Gold, who clicks his Pokeball to his belt and raises two fists hardily to his chest.

“Hell yeah it is! Whitney lets me pig out here sometimes in exchange for eggs, so we won’t even have ta’ worry.”

Before Silver can get sucked into a spiral of regretting his decision to kick Whitney from his home, they arrive at the front of two glass doors that enter the eatery. A flashing neon sign sits just above them, lights fluttering on a glowing Miltank as it welcomes customers. The building is a rather petite, cozy diner, neatly tucked to the rim of the city so it may rest near a beautiful, expansive green cattle pasture. The exterior paint is a sun-bleached pink, with doors and windows outlined in a deep grey strip. The roof is coated in the same grey, with two large sculpted horns on either side to mimic their mascot. A cowbell jingles and the boy is snapped from his position as observer, turning his focus instead to the open door.

“After you~” Gold charmingly offers, holding the door until the ginger enters and following behind.

The interior is simplistic, with its main theme appearing to be western. Soft country hums from above, allowing the static chatter from other customers to liven the atmosphere. The servers are all dressed in typical lass-wear, though all things remain a consistent color scheme of pastel pink, blue, white, and deep, matted grey. The cashier resides at a wooden podium immediately ahead of the boys, and the milk bar lies sprawled to their left, just before the entrance to the kitchen, where three guests are sitting. A few tables are situated beneath windows bordering that section of the restaurant, but the majority of the busy orders come from the multitude of chairs located to the right. As the two shift further in, a girl with golden pigtails and freckles dappled across her cheeks greets them excitedly, heavy southern accent lacing her speech.

“Howdy, Gold! Whitney should be back in just a lick. Where can ah seat ya’ today?”

Shooting a glance to Silver, the boy looks around in suggestion and raises his eyebrows. The ginger examines his options, noting that those seated at the milk bar appear to be minding their business with no other customers on their half of the building. He opts for the solemn left, and follows the cashier to the third seat from the door. The boys sit across from one another, their menus and a hot pot of coffee, condiments, and house-prepared creamer placed ritualistically on the table surface. The worker leaves with a smile and a “Y’all enjoy!” before dipping into the kitchen and leaving them alone.

“It has a pleasant atmosphere.” Silver remarks, scanning the ceiling before deciding to open up his menu. Immediately, he absorbs the prices. It’s all pretty typical, popular specialty items the most expensive to milk Goldenrod’s tourists, while most other things seem to maintain a reasonable charge. Blue’s birthday is coming up in a month, so perhaps he’ll treat her here, he thinks.

“Yeah, it’s not bad. Not my fave! But I eat here a lot ‘cuz I know Whitney. She’ll probably be our server, she’s usually in around lunch, an’ iiiit’s…” Gold glances to a clock located on a shelf in the milk bar. “About 1:20. So, she should be—“

Before he could finish, the two knee-high flip doors leading to the kitchen slam open and out steps a blabbering mess of pink hair and MooMoo milk. Those at the bar cheer as Whitney stumbles onto the scene, half-heartedly bowing at their acknowledgement. She looks around dazed, before spotting Gold’s goggles gleaming atop his head in the sunlight. The boy apologizes quietly ahead of time to Silver just before she arrives and sits excitedly next to Gold, her arm slinging around his neck.

“He-hey, Golden Boy! Back fer sum chow?” Whitney loudly laughs, her accent abrasive. She seems completely oblivious to her friend’s date until Gold mutters.

“Actually…” He motions to the ginger, who glances away in embarrassment. It takes the drunk a moment before she lets out a gasp, now quite hush in her mannerisms. She sits normally and gazes at him, almost taken aback. How dramatic, he thinks.

“Oh, my gosh… Yer from th’ other night… I-I didn’t mean to do that to yer lady, I—“

“What?” Silver’s nose scrunches at the implication. “She’s my sister.”

Whitney stares blankly at him for a moment, and her eyes begin to water all at once. “First I kiss your sister… An’ now I say somethin’ so awful… Ahm sorry! Forgive me!” She begs, bowing her head over and over. Silver and Gold exchange looks, one of annoyance and one of confusion and pity.

Silver nods in pardoning. “It’s fine, please don’t worry about it anymore. I responded rashly and should have given you a chance.” He watches carefully as her head peeks up, her teary illusion completely fading. His chest warms reassuringly upon realizing his coaxing works well on such a girl. “My sister seemed to be fond of you, anyways. You’ll see her again, I’m sure.”  
Sniffling and wiping her cheeks, the gym leader smiles brightly. “Thanks… She was super cute. Yer’ alright! Good catch, Golden Boy.” She smiles at him and he gives an awkward laugh. Shifting out of her seat, the girl dusts herself off and stands up straight. She reaches into her back pocket and whips out a wooper-shaped notepad, a pen tucked neatly behind the book to create the Pokemon’s cheek-spikes. She slips it out and flips open a page, gazing at the two expectantly.

Gold’s naturally light-hearted aura replaces his previously puzzled air and he flips his menu closed magisterial. “Several of your eggs are real close to hatching. Could we maybe do a buffet?” He leans forward and flutters his eyelashes, looking as innocent as possible. Whitney smiles and furrows her brows, huffing quietly. She shoots a look at Silver and nods.  
“Sure. An’ it’ll be on the house, fer’ you ‘n yer date.” She jots that quickly down, continuing and not looking up as to be ready for the order. “What can I get y’all?”

Gold turns to his date, a look of self-assurance painting his face. “So… Spicy?”

Completely not considering consequences and only looking to prove himself on equal grounds, Silver nods. With a grin, Gold eagerly orders several platters of Torchic breast and buffalo Pidgey wings. Whitney marks the orders down, gives them an approximate of 20 minutes, and ducks naturally back from where she came. The boys sit quietly for some minutes as Gold twiddles his thumbs, nervously trying to muster up a conversation in his head while Silver gazes outside. He watches people pass, those in groups wandering happily about the shops. Those in solitude seem to be captive in their own worlds, their heads ducked down and their pace quick when passing those of a merrier state of being than they. Oddly, Silver finds solace in this. He sees people like himself – withdrawn members of society. The majority could care less about them. They each go about their own business and do not bother one another beyond necessity. Silver glances to his nervous date, being mindful every little thing about his posture and his atmosphere while the breeder is caught in his own head. Why someone as exuberant and boisterous as Gold would pay a poor, petty thief any attention escapes him. It would be better if he didn’t. Concluding this, Silver decides it best if _he_ begins prying, as to avoid any questions that may delve into his personal life.

“…Why did you apply?”

“Huh?” Gold snaps up, shocked amber eyes scared for a moment before he relaxes.

“To the department store, I mean.”

“Well, I needed work. Simple as that.” The breeder scoots a bit forward and rests his chin on the palms of his hands, demonstrating openness to his friend. “My roommate moved here a li’l while ago, but he decided to go back to Kanto. He still owns th’ house I’m in an’ he goes between here ‘n his boyfriend’s home. He couldn’t keep payin’ the rent every month, so he told me I could stay instead’a livin’ with my Mom, given I kept up.”

Silver nods as he listens, carefully considering the actions described and their meanings. Despite how he may come off, the breeder seems to be rather responsible and motivated to follow through with his word. At least in his circles, he seems to uphold a moral code. The ginger easily continues the conversation, prying with another question.

“Are you from Goldenrod originally?”

“Naw.” Gold waves a hand. “I’m from New Bark. Ran around for a bit with th’ dex the Professor entrusted me with ‘n I’m takin’ a break, since I’ve got all the badges anyways. Battling is fun, but I’m workin’ on breeding.”

“Interesting.” The ginger observes, frowning as he pushes on. “Why breeding? What’s the appeal for you there?”

It takes him a moment to think. Gold leans back and stares up at the ceiling, finally shrugging after a few seconds. “I dunno’, actually. Professor gave me an egg and I just loved taking care of the thing, even when it hatched ‘n became a trouble-makin’ baby Pokemon. I took care’a Pokemon as a kid, too. Or… they took care of me, s’more like.” He laughs a little, spreading the smile even to Silver’s cheeks. “I’ve just got lots’a love for ‘em! Might as well put it to use. There’s not a lotta’ day cares, either, ‘n I see a lotta’ Pokemon gettin’ left behind cause of that…” Gold trails off a bit, glancing to the outside and gazing at a passing trainer. He looks to Silver and leans forward once more, an eyebrow raised with an eager grin painting his lips.

“What about you?”

The ginger acts oblivious, eyes flickering to an empty coffee mug on the table. He decides to try some and begins pouring it into his cup.

“What about me?”

Gold pouts, resuming a normal posture. “Well, why’d _you_ apply?”

As he finishes filling the mug with coffee, he reaches for a handful of packets of artificial sweetener. He leaves two on the counter and shoves the others into his pocket.

“My sister and I needed money. We couldn’t find decent work in the other towns we went to, and here seemed like a suitable compromise for our desires.” Silver rips the sugar open and pours it into his drink. He mixes it with his spoon before wiping the utensil off and setting it atop his napkin. “The department store happened to be hiring. Income is decent, environment is ideal. I don’t like the city, but it provides for us.” He raises the cup to his lips, blows, and takes a small taste. Still bitter. He’s usually okay with it, but the discomfort of what he deems to be over-sharing makes him wish for something sugary.  
His companion hums softly in response, his cheek resting gingerly on his right palm. “Hmn. Is she cute?” The breeder jokes, being sure to continue his thought before the other can take him too seriously.

“Goldenrod’s not a bad city, but it is kinda’ expensive. Dunno’ how the people here are. Lots of ‘em, so it’s probably a blend, but there’re definitely shady parts’a town with some nasty people… I thought you were one of ‘em.”

Silver pauses before taking another drink and allows the cup to press against his bottom lip. He watches the boy with careful eyes.

“But you’re alright. I just gotta’ get past all those walls you’ve got up.” Gold flashes a confident, toothy grin. Silver closes his eyes as he drinks and stares dully into the cup afterwards, pondering the created atmosphere and how it settles with his psyche. Before either of them can carry the topic further, the smell of fresh food wafts to their table and Whitney sets several trays of spicy meat in front of the two.

“There y’all go! I gotcha some milk, too.” She sets a pitcher on the table along with two glasses. “I don’t recommend racing. y’all. Yer friend seems sharp, but I’m remindin’ you, Golden Boy.”

Gold pouts, grumbling as he begins to shovel a blend of the wings and breast from their respective baskets and onto his plate. “Yeah, whatever! We’ll just see who can eat more in …” He glances at the clock, heeding the time to be 3:30 pm. “The next 30 minutes.” He peers at Silver, who’s eyeing the food, all the excitement not shown on his face making itself clear in his shimmering grey irises. The breeder blushes at the childish aspect of it and speaks clearer to assure he’s heard by his date. “Whoever can, wins our tied competition for the day. You game?”

Both boys lock gazes and nod assertively, earning an eye-roll from Whitney. She reminds them that she’ll keep their time, and to flag her down if they need more than the five baskets on their table. The time following consists of Gold and Silver wolfing down more than any typical person’s share of spicy bird, one complaining loudly and abhorrently about the burning, and the other bearing the pain quietly with huffs and sweat. Combined, the two went through a pitcher and a half of MooMoo milk and finished all but half a box of their order. By the conclusion of their given time limit, they sat clutching their stomachs and groaning. Gold appears to be in a food coma of some sort, with his head leaning back against the window and his body sprawled across the bench, while Silver sits hugging his waist and pressing a half-empty glass of cold milk to his lips. Whitney and the two remaining customers at the milk bar had been observing the entire time, the gym leader snickering stupidly and the others looking quite concerned.

“Well, y’all got some good eatin’s today! You gouged like starved men. Ah gotta say, though… the hungriest of you two looks to be Gold.” She walks over and scoots three of the empty containers towards the breeder, while shoving one towards Silver. She slides the remnants of their food extravaganza into a small box and stacks the dirty dishes, carrying them off with quiet giggles over the stupidity of the two. After some minutes of allowing their food to settle enough to speak, they hobble out of the table, bid farewell to Whitney, and exit. In spite of his hazed state, Silver is sure to bring the last bit of food with him so Blue can eat, too. He would have saved more. He’ll curse himself for allowing his competitive spirit to get the best of him once he can think properly.

Gold appears to be recovering at a much faster rate than his date as he’s stretching about, walking ahead and then backwards to fall at the other boy’s side to get his system moving. Silver, however, feels absolutely wretched. Horrific burning aside, he feels a twisting in his lower abdomen, like a knife being slowly pushed and ground into him. He was so caught up in finally getting a meal and trying to beat his rival that his mind slipped in regards to such dangerous and rapid re-feeding, which can cause serious health complications.

“Gold…” He grunts, both hands rising to place pressure on his stomach. “Could we – rest? I need to make sure I’m better before work.”  
Gold looks at him, observes his state, and nods guilty. “Yeah, dude. I’m sorry. I rush in’ta stuff ‘n I forget other people aren’t used to bein’ so extreme.”  
Silver wants to argue, insisting that he wasn’t being weak and could indeed show him up, but holds his tongue.

“My house okay? Red isn’t gonna be back ‘til later. Not that it… matters... He’d probably be able to help better than me, anyways. But I’ll do what I can.” The breeder smiles reassuringly, watching for an agreement.

Upon receiving confirmation, he carefully walks his friend to his home. It lies conveniently a short few blocks from the milk bar, and blends with the rows of houses before it. The exterior is red brick with white windowsills, an eggshell white door, and a deep chestnut roof. They follow a short concrete path to the door and Gold unlocks it, allowing Silver inside. He looks around, appearing to be slightly better, excluding the periodic knotting of his organs. Tile lines the first few feet near the entrance as a space for shoes, and then cuts to a fuzzy crimson carpet. The walls are painted a soft yellow. Immediately to the left is the kitchen, a note sitting atop the granite counter. Beyond the counter and directly ahead is the living room, with one leather couch and a television. To the right is a hall, presumably where the rooms and the wash is. Gold steps in and closes the door behind him, slipping his shoes off and signaling for his guest to do the same. Afterwards, the pair shuffle further in. Gold skims the note laid on the countertop and grumbles a little, turning around and glaring at a mountain of dirty dishes he allowed to pile up. He looks back to Silver, who stands staring at the blank screen of the television, an ever so slight hint of discomfort lacing his face. The breeder gazes plaintively at him and snaps his attention as he gently takes the leftover food and places it into his fridge. He then walks into the hall.

“My room’s this way. I gotta’ clean up a bit cause Red thinks I’m messy, an’ I don’t wanna be too loud for you.” As Silver follows him, he leads him to the room furthest in the hall, turning to the right. The first door on the left is the bathroom and the closed door next to it can be presumed to be Red’s. “I’ve got a TV, if you just wanna relax. The remote’s on my nightstand.”

Silver bobs his head in thanks and drifts into the room, his friend leaving to wash the dishes. He positions himself adequately on Gold’s bed, a plush blanket with a pattern of Pokemon eggs situated neatly beneath him. The pillows are a plain beige, save for the large silken pillow of an Igglybuff. A simple nightstand sits to the right of the bed, while a dresser lies against the wall with the door, a small T.V., and a gaming console atop it. Dorky collectables are posed on a bookcase adjacent to where he sits. Beyond a pile of dirty clothes, the remaining two items are pushed against the furthest wall; a ditto beanbag and what appears to be a large, glowing incubator with several eggs visible inside. One poster is thumbed to the wall: a chart describing egg groups. Silver slides down into the bed, appreciating how ritzy it is in comparison to his usual rest places. Comfortably, he drifts into a soft slumber.  
…  
Time seemed to sail by in Silver’s dormancy, with nearly five hours escaping his grasp before the feeling of soft fur against his cheek stirs him. Groggily, the male sits up, his eyes fluttering open and flicking around the room to remind him of his surroundings. He feels gentle flicks at his chest and turns down to see a Pichu, smiling innocently up at him. With grace, the ginger raises a hand to its small head and cups its cheek, scratching it just below the ear to earn harmless sparks of happiness from the small creature’s cheeks. Minutes pass before a familiar head peeks into the room.

“Silv!” Gold exclaims, releasing a relieved sigh and walking in. He leans against his dresser with a smile.

“I’m glad you’re up. Pichu slept by yer side, I hope that’s okay.” Silver nods, and the breeder continues. “We’ve still got a couple’a hours before our shift, but… You got up in time to watch the sun set. I-If you want!” He nervously eyes the floor, then flickers back to focus on Silver. With a still-tired smile, the ginger bows his head and carefully slides off the bed, Pichu taking his place and curling up against the ghost of his warmth. Turning to Gold, the two exchange placid expressions before he leads them through Red’s room and into a small backyard. Toys for Pokemon are strewn about, and a large sycamore towers over the house just to the right of them. Gold looks to the open door leading in the house, from which steps a recognizable Ambipom. At first, it appears a cautious towards Silver, but relaxes after sensing the atmosphere.

“We wanna get up there, buddy. Can ya’ help?” Gold motions to a thick tree branch just beyond his reach which nearly overlaps with his roof. Ambipom chuckles cheerily and hops up into the leaves, holding out its two arms to lift its trainer up. After the breeder secures himself in the tree, he jumps to his roof and crawls up, a wide smile across his cheeks.

“Aibo will help you, so don’t worry. C’mon up, Silv!”

Hesitating for a second’s time, Silver approaches the base of the tree and allows himself to be carried up. He follows after his friend and joins him on the roof, both gazing out across what portion of the city they can see. It is not terribly unsatisfactory, with only the Goldenrod Department Store and a few shorter shops obscuring their perfect perspective. Cloudless, the sky beyond is a mosaic of harsh orange, bright pinks, and various shades of yellow. With each passing breath, the colors shift to a collection of purposeful hues while the overpowering glare of light begins to sink.

Breaking the silence, Gold leans back with a sly grin. “I won, y’know. Don’t forget that.”

Silver looks over at him and smiles in playful disbelief, both laughing gently over their bickering. As the boys watch the sun dip below sizable buildings, their reality becomes encased in a golden glow; outlining the world in a beaming auriferous, only to be swallowed by the horizon as time ticks ever-onward. Silver shifts up the slope of the roof, sitting himself comfortably and resting his chin on his knees as he witnesses the transition into night. He glances to Gold, whose focus is held intently by the shrinking sunrays. Silver turns back to contemplate the last few seconds until life bleaches from the atmosphere, light blue hues fading in.

“Thank you.”

Gold looks to the ginger in incredulity at first, but allows it to melt into gleeful acknowledgement. He exhales the softest sigh, losing it in the cool, gentle breeze. Hectic as it may have been, neither could have asked for so exceptional an experience. He’s beginning to think there is something to his mysterious new friend, after all.


End file.
